In this series, I want to share lessons I’ve gleaned over the years to offer some perspective to co-travelers on life’s journey because learning from others’ experiences means avoiding unnecessary pitfalls and charting more fulfilling courses for ourselves.
We become accustomed to their presence, their support, and their love, assuming they will always be there we take the people that matter in our lives for granted without acknowledging the effort it takes to maintain those connections.
For instance, you should know that love and trust which are essential in relationships are not passive elements. They require your active engagement and continuous reinforcement. Thus, like most things that need nurturing to thrive, they will wither away without regular attention.
Love indeed needs action: even small gestures of kindness, affection, and appreciation will remind people you care about of their importance in your life. With trust, your consistent honesty, integrity, and reliability will demonstrate to them that you are committed to their well-being and happiness too.
And when it comes to forgiveness, “‘I’m sorry’ needs change” implies there must be genuine efforts on your part to learn from your mistakes and make amends. This is how you grow as an individual and as a partner.
Take it from me, when we take people for granted, we risk undermining the very foundations of our relationships because they see we don’t pay enough mind to the significance of their presence much less appreciate their contributions to our lives.
So to escape this trap of complacency, cherish the people in your life, celebrate their presence, and honor them with your words, actions, and shared moments.
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This post was previously published on medium.com.
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From The Good Men Project on Medium
What Does Being in Love and Loving Someone Really Mean? | My 9-Year-Old Accidentally Explained Why His Mom Divorced Me | The One Thing Men Want More Than Sex | The Internal Struggle Men Battle in Silence |
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Photo credit: Toa Heftiba on Unsplash